Pitch perfect
It’s been a busy week due to some challenges concerning contractors.
One of my projects has had to be altered because of a change in budget (originating with the building contractor), and another commission has issues relating to the supplier changing their pricing policy. I operate within a strict contract because my job is to deal with the artwork and the project management, and my fabricator’s area is very separate from mine, so any issues with suppliers are their responsibility but ultimately concern me too. I bring the work to them - it’s a really good relationship, but it is regulated by a split contract to stop me from being implicated in areas that are not my domain.
Having said all that, things are generally going well for the business, and all is going ahead with my Newcastle bus station commission, as planned. I’m currently in County Durham to see a door manufacturer about the possibility of putting my designs on a toilet door for the bus station – having an impact on all areas of the scheme makes it an integral project, so it’s really exciting for me.
I had an interview last Wednesday with a potential client. I always make sure I am well prepared for pitches but generally I feel confident in them because I know that I can deliver a product of sufficient standard and focus on the creative side because I pay a fabricator to deal with everything else. You need to be confident in interviews with potential clients and make it clear that you believe in what you do, that you can do the job. Tenders need to be approached in a way that you’re showing what you can do for them, not what your company does in general.
I genuinely love every aspect of my job, and I make sure this is conveyed when I go for a tender. That way, if I don’t get the commission, it’s more that it wasn’t right for me or for them, not that I didn’t try my best. My work is expensive but designed to last, so it’s worth holding out for clients who understand and appreciate the quality of it and that it’s an investment.
I saw my business mentor the other day. He is a public artist who works for an incubation scheme that York College runs for new start-ups like Artstop. He is absolutely brilliant and I have been talking to him since November 2005. I went on various Business Link start up courses (‘Fit 4 Business’) and part of it was providing me with my mentor, Steve. I meet up with him to discuss what it’s like being a public artist and it’s very interesting, as art businesses tend to operate differently from other businesses – art is not a mass-produced product and needs to be treated as unique. The advice Steve gives inspires me with the confidence to know I’m on the right track, so I would recommend anyone in business to have a mentor.
